In addition to transmitting voice and image data, networks are nowadays often used for safety-critical applications. For example, an automation system consists of a plurality of control computers, sensors and actuators which constitute nodes in a network. In this case, data communication between the nodes must not be disrupted by a malfunction of an individual node in such a manner that the functional safety of the entire automation system is jeopardized. Such a fault is known under the name “babbling idiot”, for example. This can be understood as meaning a node which, contrary to planned resource agreements and possibly even contrary to a data communication specification, transmits a large quantity of data and therefore occupies the network and hinders or even corrupts communication between other nodes.
A German patent application DE 10 2012 000 185 proposes ensuring improved failure safety and fault analysis in a network in the event of transmission and hardware faults, in particular in the event of “babbling idiot” faults, by assigning fuse devices at receiving ports of switch devices for the purpose of monitoring a respective data transmission rate. The fuse devices block reception of data at the respective receiving port if a previously predefined maximum data transmission rate is exceeded. This procedure is advantageous since it can be easily implemented and achieved. However, the disadvantage is that, in the event of severe fluctuations in the data transmission rate, a false alarm could be triggered on the basis of the predefined maximum data transmission rate, which false alarm incorrectly blocks the reception of data. This results in undesired loss of data, as a result of which quality of service of the network falls. In addition, it is necessary to know and set an expected data rate in advance.